1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods to MR Spectroscopy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Problems with determining brain functioning in the past have included determining when someone has reduced brain functioning due to a disease such as: Alzheimer""s disease, due to a traumatic injury such as: a gun shot wound, etc., exposure to radiation, exposure to a biochemical agent, etc.
Current ways of determining brain functioning include standard IQ tests, neuropsychological tests etc. However, many of the most popular types of methods of determining brain functioning are subjective in nature and may depend on the quality of the test being administered or the skills of the person administering a particular test to an individual.
One object of the present invention is to provide a more reliable method for determining the brain functioning of an individual.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an objective test for determining the brain functioning of an individual.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for determining a decrease or increase in brain functioning of an individual.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method that is able to determine if an individual has suffered a traumatic injury that affects brain functioning.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method that is able to determine if an individual is suffering from a disease that affects brain functioning.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method that is able to determine if an individual has been exposed to a chemical or biochemical agent that affects brain functioning.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method that is able to determine if an individual has been exposed to radiation that affects brain functioning.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for determining brain functioning comprising: measuring the concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical in a portion of an individual""s brain; and determining brain functioning in the individual based on the concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical measured.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for determining a change in brain functioning comprising: measuring a first concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical in a first portion of a brain of an individual at a first time; measuring a second concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical in a second portion of said brain of the individual at a second time; and determining a change in the brain functioning, if any, of the individual based on the difference between said second concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical measured and said first concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical measured.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for determining a change in brain functioning comprising: measuring a current concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical in a portion of an individual""s brain; and determining a current brain functioning in the individual based on the concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical measured; determining a change in brain functioning, if any, for the individual based on comparing said current brain functioning to a previously determined brain functioning for the individual.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for determining a change in brain functioning comprising: measuring a first concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical in a first portion of a brain of an individual; measuring a second concentration of said at least one MRS-visible brain chemical in a second portion of said brain of the individual; and comparing said second concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical measured to said first concentration of at least one MRS-visible brain chemical measured.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.